Similar to last week, this week’s releases are somewhat sparse, however, there have still been some brilliant tunes that shouldn’t go unnoticed. From a new pop-fuelled track from David Guetta featuring Sia (admittedly a strange release due to clubs not even being open) to a stunning new album from the quirky art-rockers Everything Everything, all the way to new music from the grime/rap genre including new hits from Dizzee Rascal and KSI which were somewhat unexpected. Although this week’s album releases felt a bit lackluster, the random expanse of quality singles released certainly make up for it.
TUNE OF THE WEEK: Django Django – ‘Spirals’
Musically atmospheric tracks are what Django Django do best and their latest single ‘Spirals’ gives us a brilliant new addition to their ever-growing, exciting discography. The best way to describe the track is that you could easily picture it playing alongside an exciting music video featuring lots of fast driving cars speeding down an American highway. Sounds weird but honestly, trust me. Known for their neo-psychedelic tracks, Django Django have produced another smash hit which re-iterates the band’s art-inspired background as incredible electronic sounds are layered upon one another to form a tune that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Lead singer Vincent Neff has the most incredibly unique tonal sound, elevated by the band’s correct use of autotune and electro synths. ‘Spirals’ is short but sweet, making it all the better. The track highlights the band’s style in one quick exclamation so if you’re new to their music you’ll catch onto their transcending form quickly and make sure to check out the incredibly funky music video which draws out the band’s unique nature making them stand out clearly from the crowd.
Everything Everything – RE-ANIMATOR
RE-ANIMATOR couldn’t satisfy the needs of Everything Everything fans any more than it does through the awesome expanse of tracks on this brilliant album. Lead singer Jonathan Higgs uses his incredibly quirky and atmospheric vocals to draw you truly into the album’s tracklist as the songs are both perfect stand-alone song and subtly blending masterpieces. I really want to see this band live and I can guarantee after a listen you will too with their cleverly electronic art-rock style. The tracks may be short, but they fully pack a punch that keeps their catchy lyrics stuck in your head for hours after. Stand out tracks include; ‘Big Climb’, ‘Lost Powers’, and ‘Moonlight’.
Gorillaz ft. Robert Smith – ‘Song Machine: Strange Timez’
The newest addition to Gorillaz upcoming Song Machine: Season 1 is the sixth ‘episode’ in which the band’s list of featuring artists gets even bigger with the inclusion of Robert Smith (The Cure) for an intriguing trail through space and time. Arguably, the track (like most Gorillaz tracks) is much more exciting when watched with the necessary music video and ever-so-cool visuals which leaves you wondering if Gorillaz are beginning to rely on such imagery. The track is exciting and funky, with classic Gorillaz stylistic tropes of fast-paced synth drums and ‘megaphone’ voice effects.
James Blake – ‘Godspeed’
Bringing the mood to one which is slower, the beautiful James Blake released his latest track ‘Godspeed’ earlier this week. The melodic, piano-heavy track is one that reminisces and fits perfectly with his already stunning discography as Blake shows off his powerful and hard-hitting voice whilst demonstrating his incredible talent for all things music. It’s hard to ever dislike James Blake’s releases, and ‘Godspeed’ is another to add to his perfect collection of tunes. Slow-paced keys and soft vocals blend to bring a brilliant track to the world this week. My only downside is the song is a bit too short, but that’s a compliment if anything.
mxmtoon ft. Carly Rae Jepsen – ‘ok on your own’
After seeing mxmtoon support Cavetown just last year in Southampton I’ve been drawn to her tracks and so have many – think her viral song ‘Prom Dress’ which filled the TikTok timeline for a solid month after its release. Her latest single ‘ok on your own’ featuring the one and only Carly Rae Jepsen gives off unbelievable summer vibes and the lockdown filmed, sunshine covered music video highlights this feeling even more. The track is soft and melodic but remains true to the pop style of both mxmtoon and Jepsen which makes it one to listen to if you want to simply chill out and relax. It’s not her strongest track, but its a solid listen.
Other Selected Releases
Singles
David Guetta ft. Sia – ‘Lets Love’
Dizzee Rascal ft. Smoke Boys – ‘Act Like You Know’
Of Monsters and Men – ‘Visitor’
Janelle Monae – ‘Turntables’
S1mba ft. KSI – ‘Loose’
Will Joseph Cook – ‘Be Around Me’
Albums
AC/DC – Johnson City 1988
Doves – The Universal Want
Marilyn Manson – We Are Chaos
This Week In Records: Playlist Edition
Need a weekly music fix of all the songs you should care about? We’ve made a super handy playlist of all of this week’s biggest releases, so just sit back and listen to the good stuff. Updated every Sunday.
